Atmosphere processor

From AvP Online Encyclopedia

Huge. A 1500 meters high structure developed in the mid-2100s and used on new colonies with an unbreathable atmosphere. The atmosphere processor could take in the gases that formed the atmosphere, super-heat them into a gas which was then ionized and split into the component atoms. The hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen was released back into the atmosphere whilst the remains became a waste by-product. Several of these atmosphere processors would be required to convert the entire atmosphere of a planet; a process which would take decades. The super-heating required tremendous temperatures, which was achieved by using a fusion reactor.

On Acheron, the crash of the dropship from the Sulaco into the atmosphere processor there led to the eventual melt-down of the fusion reactor. In fact, any damage to the primary heat exchanger could prove to be disastrous. Once the melt-down process had begun, it was near-impossible to stop, and would take little over four hours to overheat completely and cause the entire atmosphere processor to explode.